Mattress construction and method of making the same



s. TYHANIC 3,110,043

MATTRESS CONSTRUCTION AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME Nov. 12, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Sept. 18. 1961 ZC f [72 Uefa or Y? vd S. TYHANIC Nov.^12, 1963 MATTRESS CONSTRUCTION AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME Filed Sept. 18, 1961 United States Patent O Stephen Tyhanic, Chicago, lll., assigner to Restomc Curporation, Chicago, El., a corporation of llinois Filed Sept. i8, 1961, Ser. No. 138,737 6 Claims. (Cl. 5 351) The invention relates generally to mattresses and the like, and more particularly to a novel mattress structure and method of making the same.

The invention relates generally to mattresses oi the type illustrated in Patents Numbers 2,l05,923 and 2,168,- G37, employing prebuilt cover pads which are secured to the top face of the resilient inner spring construction associated therewith, the pad being divided longitudinally by a plurality of lines or" transverse stitching into a plurality of sections, three sections normally being employed, and secured to the upper face of the resilient spring construction associated therewith. As illustrated in the above patents, the pad may be directly attached by lacing or other suitable means located at the line of stitching to the adjacent face of the spring construction, as illustrated in the first mentioned patent, or a narrow strip may also be secured to the inner face or" the pad and secured to the spring construction by suitable means, as for example, hog rings or the like. In either construction, the principal function thereof was to prevent the shifting of the cover pad along the top face ot the innerspring construction.

As it normally is desirable to impart a iirrn appearance to the top of the finished mattress, such results have been sought by placing the center section, in the case or" a three section construction, under tension in the longitudinal direction by drawing outwardly on fabric strips extending across the mattress in constructions such as illustrated in Patent Number 2,168,037, following which the pad was suitably secured in Operative position with the cover sheet secured to the usual edge boxing, etc. In so attempting to apply tension forces on the middle section of the three section pad, the ultimate result was to produce a compression and buckling in the center portion of the resilient inner spring unit or construction, tending to undesirably distort and buckle the spring coils of such portion, and while not necessarily being apparent at the exterior of the mattress, tends to reduce the rmness of the centrally located coils and thereby impart a relatively soit action to such cenual portion instead of the desired rmness. Obviously in the case of extra irm mattresses, now popular, the lack of central iirmness becornes particularly apparent, and, as the major part of the body weight on the mattress is concentrated at the central portion thereof, added firmness is particularly desirable at such center section.

The present invention therefore has among its objects the production of a mattress of the general type described which is so constructed and assembled that a substantially uniform longitudinal compression of the spring coils is achieved, at the same time retaining suitable connection between the central portion of the pad and the resilient inner spring unit, such connection, however, being so disposed and installed that the desired disposition of the coils of the inner spring unit are not materially disturbed.

Another object of the invention is the production of a mattress having the above advantages in which such results are achieved by the practice of a novel method of assembly which eliminates any possibility of undesired localization of compression forces in one section or portion of the mattress.

A further object of the invention is the production of such a mattress construction which does not involve radical changes in the general construction of the mattress nor radically dilerent steps in its method of assembly.

Many other objects and advantages of the construction herein shown and described will be obvious to those skilled in the art from the disclosure herein given.

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters indicate like or corresponding parts:

FIG. l is a perspective view or" a multiple cushion mattress of the type to which the invention is particularly applicable;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional View of a mattress construction such as that illustrated in Patent Number 2,168,937, illustrating the disadvantages thereof;

FlG. 3 is a diagrammatic side elevational View of a top cover pad and innerspring unit prior to attachment of the pad thereto;

FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic ligure similar to FIG. 3, illustrating the rst step in the method ot attaching the pad to the innerspring unit;

FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic ligure similar to FIGS. 3 and 4, illustrating a further step in the assembly;

FIG. 6 is a longitudinal sectional View through portions of a mattress constructed in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a semi-diagrammatic side elevational View of a spring construction, illustrating distortion arising from the utilization of a construction such as illustrated in FIG. 2; and

FIG. 8 is a diagrammatic ligure similar to FIG. 7, illustrating the result when the present invention is ernployed.

The present invention contemplates the utilization of a construction and the employment of a novel method whereby the middle section, for example, of a three section cover pad may be so tensioned that the compression forces resulting on the innerspring unit are distributed from one longitudinal edge to the other thereof, creating a uniform longitudinal compression of the unit with the resulting individual forces on each spring coil being too small individually to create any undesirable distortion in the innerspring unit. The center section of the cover pad may thereafter be secured adjacent its juncture with the adjoining sections, to the innerspring unit, such action having no adverse effect on the distributed compression in the spring unit, but instead tending to retain the latter under a uniform compression throughout and thus prevent a localizing of compression forces in one section.

Referring to the drawings, and particularly FlG-S. l and 2, FIG. l illustrates a mattress indicated generally by the numeral l, having a top cover pad 2 divided by transversely extending lines of stitching 3 into three cushions or sections. Extending around the peripheral edges of the mattress is a boxing 4 having its adjacent peripheral edge secured as indicated at 5 to the adjacent peripheral edge of the top cover sheet 6 of the pad 2. In the case of a mattress, the bottom face of the same is provided with a similar pad having a corresponding cover sheet, the peripheral edges of which are likewise secured to the ad- 3 jacent peripheral edge of the boxing in the event the invention is employed on a box spring the construction would be substantially as described with the exception that the spring structure would be supported on a rigid framework or the like to which the lower edge of the boxing l would be suitably attached- As illustrated in FIG. 2, mattresses of the type involved heretofore utilized employed a suitable pad, indicated generally by the numeral 2', as for example, comprising layers "7 and 3 of filling material and a cover sheet 6 which are operatively connected by lines of stitching 3 corresponding to the stitching 3 of FIG. l, the stitching 3 also securinU a narrow strip 9 to the inner face of the pad 2. The latter, for example, may employ for the filling material, a layer 7' of felt padding or the like and a bottom layer 8 of sisal or other suitable mate- While no difficulty was experienced in attaching the strip 9 to a resilient innerspring unit such as the unit 11 comprising a plurality of spring coils 12 connected by suitable means such as helicals i3', when the strip 9 was employed merely to anchor the top pad to the spring unit, as for example, by the use of hog rings 14', a problem arose in the event the strip 9 was to be used as a tensioning element by means of which the center section 2b of the mattress pad was to be tensioned across the top face of the resilient innerspring unit. This problem is illustrated in FiG. 2, wherein the section 2a of the cover pad has been folded baclt upon the section 2b to expose the strip 9. Upon applying tension forces to the strip 9', assuming that the opposite strip 9 between the sections 2b and 2c has already been fastened to the spring construction, the stitching 3 will tend to pivot about the approximate center c of the stitching, thereby Y drawing the stitching adjacent the strip 9 closer to the adjacent edge of the innerspring unit il than the portion of the stitching adjacent the cover sheet 6' so that the stitching will extend diagonally instead of vertically.

Following suitable attachment of the free end of the strip 9 to vthe resilient innerspring unit 11 the construction will assume the approximate positions illustrated in FIG. 2, the corresponding stitching 3 between the sections Zb and 2c of the mattress illustrated in FIG. 2 extending diagonally in the opposite direction to that illustrated, so that such lines of stitching will in effect diverge downwardly. At this stage of assembly the spring coils 12 below the section 2b may not be materially distorted but upon rotating the two outer sections of the top pad 2 into their normal positions upon the innerspring unit 11 and subsequent drawing of the top cover to tension the same, the stitclt'ng 3' will tend to rotate or rock approximately on the center c so that the upper portion of the stitching 3 adjacent the cover 6 will move to the left as viewed in FG. 2, while the bottom portion of the stitching adjacent the portion 9' will tend to be rotated to the right, but as the strip 9 restricts such action, the pad will tend to pivot about the connection of the stitching 3' with the strip 9', thereby moving the outer portion of the stitching 3 at the exterior of the cover member 6 to a point approximately direct.y above the connection of the stitching 3' with the strip 9. it will be appreciated that such action will move the center of the padding a distance approximately equal to the lateral offset between the center c and the connection of the stitching 3 to the strip 9, while the outer portions of the stitching 3' will be moved approximately twice such distance with such action in effect shortening the distance between the connection of the strips 9 with the spring construction and thereby compressing the center portion of the latter. It will be appreciated that this action is repeated at the junctures of each pair of cushions and that the compression therefore readily becomes sufficient to distort the spring coils. The resulting action is indicated semidiagrammatically on what may be a somewhat exaggerated scale to illustrate the situation, wherein the apd plication of compression forces c are concentrated in the center section, tending to buckle the same, which action in the case of a mattress is repeated at the bottom face thereof as well.

It will be appreciated that any tendency of the springs to move out of the general plane of the respective faces of the spring unit will in effect soften the spring action as a lesser pressure would be required to straighten such springs than would necessarily be involved in actually compressing the springs. Consequently, such defect in a mattress would have a tendency to materially soften the effective spring action and such section thus would have a softer feel to the user than it otherwise would. Likewise as the end sections would not have an equivalent compression, these sections would feel firmer which of course is the exact opposite of the desired result wherein the center section which bears the greatest body weight has the greatest firmness.

The present invention avoids the difficulties described and permits a uniform longitudinal compression on the entire resilient innerspring unit, whereby the equivalent compression forces are distributed among all the coils of the resilient innerspring unit, instead of merely those of the center section, in which case the individual `compressive action is insufficient to materially distort any portion of the resilient innerspring unit.

Referring to FGS. 3 to 6 and 8, the pad 2 may comprise a cover sheet 6 and suitable filling such as a layer 7 of felt padding or the like and a layer S of suitable material such as sisal or the like, which are secured together into a prebuilt pad by lines of stitching 3 which at the same time pass through and secure thereto attaching sheets 9 of fabric or other suitable material which extend substantially coextensive with the two outer sections 2a and 2c. v

In assembling the structure, the pad 2 is laid upon the resilient innerspring construction 11 as illustrated in FIG. 3, the sheets 9 overlying the spring unit. The outer end edge of one of the sections 2a or 2c is then rotated upwardly, as for example, as illustrated in FIG. 4, and the end edge of the corresponding attaching sheet 9 is wrapped around the edge helical 13 of the spring unit and rmly secured thereto by suitable means such as hog rings 14 which are spaced along the edge to be fastened. Following the securement of one of the attaching sheets 9, the opposite sheet is attached by suitable means such as hog rings in the same manner, adequate tension being applied between the cover sheets 9 to suitably tension the section 2b, following which the edge of the sheet is Wrapped around the adjacent edge helical of the innerspring unit, as illustrated in FIG. 6, and similarly hogringed in position.

Following securement of both sheets 9, the sections 2a and 2c of the pad may be rotated back to overlie the section 2b and permit the application of a plurality of hog rings 14 adjacent each line of stitching 3, as clearly illustrated in FIG. 6. This operation may be readily performed without materially varying the tension in the sheets 9 and intermediate section 2b so that the uniform compression of the entire spring unit is not disturbed, the last mentioned hog rings tending to prevent any possibility of the compression of the spring unit Vshifting whereby the spring coils of one section would have an undesirable greater amount of compression than one or both of the other sections.

In most cases in addition to the edge helical, the spring unit normally will contain a heavy gauge border wire l5 so that the anchored fabric sections 9, restrained at their outer :edge by the relatively heavy gauge border wire, transmit a tension to the under side of the center section of the pad, providing a desirably -rm center section.

ln the preferred construction, the free edges of the filler layers 7 and 3 are wrapped downwardly around the edge of the spring unit, the top cover sheet 6 being attached, adjacent to itsA peripheral edges to the innerspring unit 11 by a strip of material 16, secured adjacent one edge by stitching 17 to the cover sheet and, in the particular embodiment illustrated, Wrapped around the adjacent wrapped portions of the liller layers and secured to the edge spring coils l2 by hog rings 14.

As illustrated in fFlG. 6, the boxing 4 may be provided with an inner layer of padding 1S secured to an outer fabric sheet 19 by stitching 2l and the outer sheet 19 secured adjacent -its peripheral edges to the corresponding edges of the cover sheet 6 by a suitable enclosing tape 22 and stitching 23 in the same manner as generally employed in mattress constructions.

It will be apparent from the above description that I have provided a novel mattress construction and method of making the same whereby a uniform highly efficient product is achieved.

Having thus described my invention, it will be obvious that various immaterial modifications may be made in the same Without departing from the spirit of my invention; hence I do not Wish to be understood as limiting myself to the exact form, construction, arrangement and combination of parts herein shown and described, or uses mentioned.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. The method of fabricating a mattress comprising the steps of prebuilding a cover pad comprisng a plurality of plies by securing the plies together by two laterally extending lines of stitching to divide the pad into a plurality of sections, simultaneously securing thereto fabric sheet means extending at least from each longitudinal end edge of the pad to the adjacent line of stitching securing thereby the sheet to the pad at the inner face of the latter, applying said pad to the top face of a resilient inner unit, tensioning said fabric sheet means in a longitudinal direction to place the portion of the pad intermediate the lines of attachment of said sheet means under tension, securing the outer end edge por-tion of said sheet means to the resilient -unit at the adjacent end edge thereof, permitting any longitudinal compression of the resilient inner unit, resulting therefrom, to be distributed longitudinally :across the unit, and securing said sheet means along its line of stitching to said resilient unit, to thereby prevent localizing of such equalized compression in a single section.

2. The method of lfabricating a mattress comprising the steps of prebuildmg a cover pad comprising a plurality of plies by securing the plies together by two laterally extending lines of stitching to divide the pad into three sections, simultaneously securing by said stitching a plurality of fabric attaching sheets, each extending from a respective line of stitching toward the adjacent end edge of the pad, at the inner face of the latter, applying said pad to the top face of :a resilient inner spring unit, tensioning said fabric attaching sheets in a longitudinal direction to place .the middle pad section under tension, wrapping the outer end edge portion of each attaching sheet around adjacent corner edge of the resilient spring unit and securing said wrapped edge of the sheet thereto, permitting any longitudinal compression of the resilient inner spring unit, resulting from said tensioning, to be distributed longitudinally across the unit, and securing the respective attaching sheets to said resilient spring unit along said lines of stitching, thereby restricting such equalized compression of each section of the unit corresponding to one of said pad sections, and thereby prevent localizing of such compression in a single unit section,

3. The method of fabricating a mattress comprising the steps of prebuilding a cover pad comprising a. pluralit-y of plies including a cover ply by securing lthe plies together by two laterally extending lines of stitching to divide the pad into three sections, simultaneously securing by said stitching a plurality of fabric attaching sheets,

each extending from a respective line of stitching toward the adjacent end edge -of the pad, at the inner face of the latter, applying said pad to the top face of a resilient inner spring unit, tensioning said fabric attaching sheets in a longitudinal direction to place the middle pad section under tension, wrapping the outer end edge portion of each attaching sheet .around adjacent corner edge of the resilient .spring unit and securing said wrapped edge of the sheet thereto, permitting any longitudinal compression of the resilient inner spring unit, resulting from said tensioning, to be distributed longitudinally across the unit, securing the respective attaching sheets to said resilient spring unit along said lines of stitching, thereby restricting such equalized compression of each section of the unit corresponding to one of said pad sections, and thereby prevent localizing of such compression in a single unit section, securing the cover ply adjacent its peripheral edges to the resilient spring unit, encircling the edges of the latter with a boxing, and securing the free edge of the cover ply to the adjacent edge of the boxing.

4. ln a mattress construction, the combination of a resilient inner spring unit, a prebuilt pad comprising a plurality yof plies secured together by a pair of transversely extending spaced parallel lines of stitch-ing, longitudinally dividing the pad into three sections, said pad being disposed `upon and overlying the top face of the resilient inner spring unit, attaching sheet means extending at least from each end edge of the inner spring unit to the adjacent line of stitching and secured thereby to the pad, the outer free end edges of said sheet means being secured to the corresponding end edge of the `spring unit with the distance between said edge connections being less than the corresponding edge to edge inherent length of the spring Aunit whereby the latter is placed -under substantially uniform longitudinal compression, said attaching sheet means being secured adjacent said lines of stitching to said spring unit at points which will not materially affect the substantially uniform longitudinal compression of the portions of the spring unit associated With each section.

5. ln a mattress construction, the combination of a resilient inner spring unit, a prebuilt pad comprising a plurality of plies secured together by a pair of transversely extending spaced parallel lines of stitching, longitudinally dividing the pad into three sections, said pad being disposed upon and overl-ying the top face of the resilient inner spring unit, a pair of fabric attaching sheets, each extending from each end edge of the inner 4spring unit to the adjacent line of stitching and secured thereby to the pad, the outer free end edges of each sheet being secured to the corresponding end edge or the spring unit with the distance between said edge connections being less than the corresponding edge to edge inherent length of the spring unit whereby the latter is placed under substantially uniform longitudinal compression, said attaching sheets each being secured adjacent its associated lin-e of stitching to said spring unit at points which will not materially aect the substantially uniform longitudinal compression of the portions of the spring unit associated with each section.

6. In a mattress construction, the combination of a resilient inner spring unit comprising a plurality of connected spring coils and having a peripherally extending converting helical, a prebuilt pad comprising a plurality of plies, including a cover sheet secured together by a pair of transversely extending spaced parallel lines of stitching, longitudinally dividing the pad into three sections, said pad being disposed upon and overlying the top face of the resilient inner sprintr unit, a pair of attaching sheets, each extending at least from each end 'edge of the inner spring unit to the adjacent line of stitching and secured thereby to the pad, the outer free end edges of each sheet means being secured to the corresponding end edge portion of the peripherally extending helical of the spring unit 'with the distance,- between said 7 edge connections being less than the corresponding edge to edge inherent length of' the spring unit whereby the latter is placed under substantially uniform longitudinal compression, said attaching sheets each being secured adjacent its associated line of stitching to said spring -unit at points which will not materially aect `tbe substantially uniform longitdinal compression of therportions of the spring unit associated with each section, a fabric strip secured to the cover sheet adjacent to but inwardly spaced from the peripheral edges thereof, said strip having 'its free edges extending around tne adjacent peripheral corner edges ofv the Iinner spring unit and securcd to the edge coils of 'the latter.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,168,037 Marsack Aug. 1, 1939 2,978,715 Bleeker Apr. 11, 1961 FORElGN PATENTS 729,835 Great Britain May 11, 1955 

4. IN A MATTRESS CONSTRUCTION, THE COMBINATION OF A RESILIENT INNER SPRING UNIT, A PREBUILT PAD COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF PLIES SECURED TOGETHER BY A PAIR OF TRANSVERSELY EXTENDING SPACED PARALLEL LINES OF STITCHING, LONGITUDINALLY DIVIDING THE PAD INTO THREE SECTIONS, SAID PAD BEING DISPOSED UPON AND OVERLYING THE TOP FACE OF THE RESILIENT INNER SPRING UNIT, ATTACHING SHEET MEANS EXTENDING AT LEAST FROM EACH END EDGE OF THE INNER SPRING UNIT TO THE ADJACENT LINE OF STITCHING AND SECURED THEREBY TO THE PAD, THE OUTER FREE END EDGES OF SAID SHEET MEANS BEING SECURED TO THE CORRESPONDING END EDGE OF THE SPRING UNIT WITH THE DISTANCE BETWEEN SAID EDGE CONNECTIONS BEING LESS THAN THE CORRESPONDING EDGE TO EDGE INHERENT LENGTH OF THE SPRING UNIT WHEREBY THE LATTER IS PLACED UNDER SUBSTANTIALLY UNIFORM LONGITUDINAL COMPRESSION, SAID ATTACHING SHEET MEANS BEING SECURED ADJACENT SAID LINES OF STITCHING TO SAID SPRING UNIT AT POINTS WHICH WILL NOT MATERIALLY AFFECT THE SUBSTANTIALLY UNIFORM LONGITUDINAL COMPRESSION OF THE PORTIONS OF THE SPRING UNIT ASSOCIATED WITH EACH SECTION. 